emerging Tel Aviv based artist Danny Kuttner shares new single ‘Come Play With Me’, alongside its music video. Stream ‘Come Play With Me’ here. Watch ‘Come Play With Me’ Video Here.
Born in Amsterdam and raised in Israel, Danny steps into the spotlight with a smooth and soulful cut influenced by ECM’s contemporary jazz, Balearic sounds and 90s neo-soul, with a hybrid sound-design edge, blending laid-back organic tones with left-field electronic production. Self-produced and recorded with the help of a close-knit team of well-known Israeli contemporary music artists including drummer Roy Reemy and multi-instrumentalist Yuli Shafriri, ‘Come Play With Me’, is a striking introduction and a glimpse into her upcoming EP.
Talking about the track Danny explains: “the lyrics are about the desire to live curiously and a constant reminder to play, which was the creative process I used to approach its songwriting. I recorded artists in a playful and organic way, with no pre devised plan, in different settings; the drums were recorded in a professional studio, the flute was recorded in a friend’s wardrobe. Some of the recordings were spontaneous and some Pre-calculated, which made it all fun and unexpected”.
DEWEY returns with her illuminating new single ‘Trees and Telephone Lines’. Alongside the release, she shares a stunning new video.
Born from the feeling of being out of place and the odd one out, Trees and Telephone Lines comes as a soothing reminder that you’re not alone.
Sharing more, DEWEY explained:
Feeling like you don’t belong somewhere, whether that be the people you’re with or the situation you’re in. Not being able to find comfort in your surroundings; everything feels off and strange…finding a way out somehow.
Remembering how to reconnect with yourself again and finding the strength to reach out to your loved ones and friends even when it feels like everything is burning to a cinder.”
The Know began in late 2018 when Daniel Knowles suggested to his wife, Jennifer Farmer, that instead of traveling home for the holidays (to the UK and Texas respectively) that the LA based transplants stay put and try to create music together, just the two of them. This would be the married couple’s gift to themselves.
For the next few weeks, they isolated themselves in their home studio with no real plan, just a mutual love of Beach House, Julee Cruise, Ye Ye, The Jesus and Mary Chain, 60’s girl groups, dream pop, and the evocative storytelling lyricism of Patsy Cline and The National.
The result was their debut EP shared in 2020, a stunning blend of dream pop and shoegaze. Entitled wearetheknow, the six trackcollection of songs provided an unflinching look at the couple, delving deep into the duo’s personal lives by honestly narrating stories from their relationship and life experiences against a kaleidoscopic sonic palette. Leading single ‘143′ melded autobiographical with fantastical lyrics and unfolds as a series of conversations, images, and hazy recollections of a night out. While ‘Hold Me Like You Know Me’ garnered comparisons to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound.
The Know’s upcoming highly anticipated second EP (EP2) is lyrically full of relatable snapshots of love, loss, isolation, uncertainty, sadness and connection. Completed during the pandemic and in a time of intense isolation, the EP was produced by Farmer and Knowles and mostly recorded in their home studio in a short span of time.
Leading single ‘Used to Be’ details the complexities of romantic relationships specifically when they were heightened during the pandemic. Knowles confides,“then of course the pandemic hit, people all around us were having their relationships tested in lockdown with significant others, some relationships came out stronger, some didn’t survive. And on a more universal scale lots of people worldwide were dealing with a loss of normality, loss of connection with other people, suddenly not being able to do simple things like buy groceries, things we’d all taken for granted.” Sonically, “Used to Be” features hazy guitars, warm melodies and atmospheric soundscapes that are on the edge of uncontrollable making for an enthralling listen. The accompanying cinematic music video was directed and created by Farmer and profiles a troubled relationship representing the highs, the lows and the mundane moments in a non-linear fashion.
The Know have found success attracting fans across the globe with their authentic narratives and dazzling mix of genres. Their debut EP garnered praise from the likes of SPIN, BBC, FLOOD Magazine and Earmilk among others. In addition to The Know, Knowles is an engineer and producer who also this year co-produced the Sharon Van Etten album “We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong”
Los Angeles based multi-instrumentalist Scott Goldbaum, whose credits include Sting, LAUV, Keith Urban, Skylar Grey, Charlotte Lawrence and Maddie Poppe, is releasing his first solo EP “Protector” this fall.
Prior to his five year hiatus from releasing music, Scott Goldbaum’s speciality was in providing “transient and breathtaking guitar work” (The Deli Magazine) as well as “beautifully textured vocals” (Indie Music Filter)both on stage and in the studio fronting his former bands Forebear, Wise Cub and The Harm.
With songwriting cuts regarded by Consequence of Sound “as an exhilarating testament to abilities” his brand new EP is sure to satisfy fans of the artists whose music inspired the production including Chris Isaak, Radiohead, Bombay Bicycle Club and Damien Rice.
“Protector” is his self produced folk-infused indie rock EP with lush string arrangements by Molly Rogers (Hans Zimmer, Game of Thrones), upright bass from Kaveh Rastegar (Sting, John Legend, Bruce Springstein), drums/percussion by Kiel Feher (Selena Gomez, Zella Day) and mixing from the famed ScottGordon (Alannis Morissette, Alexi Murdoch).
Thematically, the record follows a vulnerable character who’s in need of protection as he becomes the protector of others. “Drive Too Fast” is a face first collision course into the dark corners of a speed induced lifestyle. Whereas “Trigger Finger” takes place in a school, a grocery store, a parade, a place of worship or just about any other public gathering place in America. “Blood Knot” acknowledges the roots you grew out of and the tree limbs you wish to keep attached while others tear off in the wind. In contrast to the beginning of the EP, “Mourning Coffee” makes a distinction between codependency and partnerships that are chosen and decisively cared for while the world is falling apart around you. “Incremental” is a mediation to stay on the course of progress and empowerment, despite the shadows that closely follow.
Upcoming tour date:
December 2nd, Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles, CA
Miami, Florida’s Donzii release their debut album Fishbowl via Grey Market Records. Building a dystopia song by song, the project offers the listener an all-knowing, all-seeing view over a fictitious society in a sealed off terrarium. In the Donzii-verse, there’s politics, environmental strains, conventions of sexuality to deconstruct, threats of aliens and apocalypse, and all the little people just trying to make it through the day. Stream Fishbowl here.
On their debut album, the band said, “Fishbowl is a response to living in a time that appears to offer endless options with the same outcome. The mix of style and genre is an honest and intentional statement regarding the role of the artist as not only a conduit, but a mirror to the overstimulation we experience, in reality and in digital realms. Donzii, as a community, has developed a narrative of music which is very anti-development and pro-human collaboration. Our mission is to give the listener space in their experience – to enjoy the strangeness of this human condition and find more abundant ways to connect with the world around us.”
Paris-born, London-raised, Iraqi rapper and artist psi.ko returns to the ether with her incendiary new release, “To Me, From Me” – dropping alongside a visually striking official music video that solidifies the young creative as part of a new generation of Iraq’s art history.
On “To Me, From Me”, psi.ko sets out to hold her future-self accountable by narrating her hopes, reiterating her roots, and humanising her inevitable errors. The deep but succinct chorus ‘if I looked you in your eyes, would I see your soul? Or maybe someone that I didn’t know’’ highlights psi.ko’s penchant for introspection and growth. Her penmanship, pushing metaphors and similes over a grounded, trill, yet
contemplative instrumental, allows listeners a mirror to themselves in a remarkably interpersonal track.
Rising London-via-Cornwall four-piece THE VELVET HANDS have dropped their last track of the year, “Over It Now”.
The track arrives as a tantalising sneak-peek of the new album ‘Sucker Punch’, which lands 3 February 2023, with a special vinyl edition planned for release on Blood Records.
LISTEN TO “OVER IT NOW” ON SOUNDCLOUD HERE || YOUTUBE HERE
Blending hedonistic hooks reminiscent of The Strokes with a slacker kind of storytelling plucked straight from Pavement’s playbook, the band’s latest outing is an anti-capitalist anthem spun with an easy-going, lackadaisical charm.
As The Velvet Hands explain:
“One of the more laidback songs on the album, this came from the four of us just playing around in rehearsal. Lyrically the song focuses on ‘the grind’ culture, which personally we have always found to be exploitative and somewhat ridiculous. The main message is that not everything in life is about money, and you can do things at your own pace. In a nutshell: stick to your guns.”
The band’s final release of 2022, “Over It Now” comes ahead of their second studio album ‘Sucker Punch’, which will be streaming from 3 February 2023. Delivering coming-of-age tales with slacker-rock sensibilities, the new record combines the punchy guitar licks of The Strokes or Parquet Courts with rousing punk choruses that recall The Clash or The Vaccines.
Written by Toby Mitchell and Dan Able, the album was recorded by John Logan at The Cube Studios in Cornwall, and was produced and mixed by John Logan and JamX Jules at Par Studios. Featuring earlier singles including the new-wave tinged “Telephone Love”, rousing live-ready anthem “I Wanna Be There” and the pure escapism of “Holiday In My Head” — a blistering track that grapples with “the doldrums of being skint” — the record also includes an array of previously unheard material.
Beans on Toast releases: ‘The Fascinating Adventures of Little Bee’.
10 stories and 10 songs for kids, the release is available as a beautiful album and book box set – available here: https://littlebeeadventures.com
STREAM THE FULL ALBUM HERE || WATCH “TO THE RAINBOW” HERE
Available from 1st December, ‘The Fascinating Adventures of Little Bee’ is the fifteenth studio release from folk singer Beans on Toast.
Teaming up with Jaime and Lily Adamsfield to create a new collection of illustrated stories and original songs, his debut release for children follows the hero of Little Bee on a journey to exotic new places, from the sea to the city, the woods to other worlds, into space and back in time.
Opening-up a world of disco and discovery, you can join Little Bee on a trip “To The Rainbow” now. One of the most vibrant adventures of the series, tune in on YouTube here:
Canadian artist Dalilah shares her haunting new single ‘Bruises’. Dropping today with a powerful accompanying video, it’s here just in time to soothe any autumnal darkness.
Born from a conflicting time, Bruises depicts the duality of love and pain and how the two feelings are often found hand in hand. Stunning vocals and weightless production make this a captivating and stan-out offering, from the Vancouver based artist.
Sharing a little more about track, Dalilah explained; We don’t stop loving people because they hurt us. What happens after? Where does that love go? There’s so much emphasis on moving on but what if just for a moment we sit with how beautiful and ugly it feels to love somebody who hurt us. To mourn the hopes and dreams we had for what could have been. To mourn the person we were before it all. I love feeling sorry for myself! Try it!
Pulling her musical inspiration from the likes of FKA Twigs, Joji, Okay Kaya, Shlohmo,Ratatat and Caroline Polacheck, Dalilah has crafted her own unique sound. Recorded in her home studio and produced by Mcevoy who’s accolades include a recent track on Drake & Savage 21’s album ‘Her Loss’, she’s sat on an impressive range of genre-bending singles.
the 718 Princess, Lola Brooke made a momentous half-time performance for the Brooklyn Nets at the renowned B.K. venue, Barclays Center. Housing over 19,000 in capacity, Lola Brooke graced the arena court as she performed an electrifying medley of her latest track, “Here I Come,” and hit single “Don’t Play With It.” With this borough of Brooklyn in full embrace for the rising star, Lola continues to showcase a distinctively divine presence and prowess that fully certifies her artist-to-watch status.
“Don’t Play With It” serves as a breakout hit for the Bed-Stuy native, having amassed over 4 + million views for the official video; a recent co-sign from Hot 97’s Funk Flex as the “biggest song in the city,” and recognition from Kim Kardashian and North West via Tik Tok with an irresistible skit to the buzzing track (amassed over 19 + million views in three days). “D.P.W.I.” has garnered over 300 + thousand TikTok video creations, peaked at #9 on TikTok Viral chart, and all-encompassed, achieved over 100 + million views on the platform.
Los Angeles-based music collective, Peach Tree Rascals release their new EP, End Of Time with brand new track “I Need That” Get it HERE via 10K Projects.
The introspective new EP is synonymous with the group’s long creative journey up to this point. With the many tumultuous distractions of modern living, they have finally made their way back to the thing that’s most important to them, the present moment. Looking to get back to the things they love, End of Time highlights the expedition towards peace by engulfing negative energies in love and trust. Ultimately, they ponder the question: “if it was the end of time, are you in a place of love and happiness?”
Haruka Salt
( https://www.instagram.com/harukanyc999 ) is a producer and DJ currently based in Brooklyn, NYC. Haruka moved to New York from Japan in 2006, and since then, she has made headway within the Brooklyn underground scene. Drawing upon techno, house and hip-hop music amongst other genres, her music is intense and electric. Haruka performs regularly at all of the legendary Brooklyn clubs, including Bossa Nova Civic Club, Nowadays, Mood Ring, Paragon, and more.
Bohan Phoenix ( https://www.instagram.com/bohanphoenix ) is a Chinese superstar rapper, formerly signed to Warner China.Tony G
( https://www.instagram.com/tonyg.world ) – Co-founder of Sorry Records,
(https://www.instagram.com/sorry_records/), Resident at The Lot Radio.toucan sounds (https://www.instagram.com/toucansounds)
Singer/songwriter, producer, screenwriter and actor Roskamala is set to make her mark as a creative visionary with her thoughtful musical releases full of evocative storytelling wrapped in a unique sonic fusion. Born and raised in Thailand, Roskamala became an actress and fashion TV host. Realizing that her dream was to pursue music full time, the songwriter moved to the United States and teamed up with acclaimed Grammy award-winning producers Ghian Wright (Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Janet Jackson, Foo Fighters) and Robert L. Smith (Lady Gaga, David Bowie, U2) for her debut EP.
Roskamala’s upcoming EP entitled truth she told, is an existential narrative on the trials and tribulations of what it is like to be human and how our experiences shape who we are. She confides, “We all have our own stories to tell of good times and bad times. We tend to focus too much on the bad times, but one thing I believe in is hope. You will find this in every one of my songs if you have the right attitude and learn from our shared experiences. Life can be tough but we all have the power to make it better and create a wonderful future.” Roskamala brilliantly relays these extreme emotions in relatable narratives, touching the listener and inspiring them to try and find hope and understanding that they’re not alone in every struggle. Sonically, truth she told features a variety of genres including dark pop, R&B, rock, and even soul for an intoxicating collection of songs.
Leading single “Kiss Me Amnesia” is a dark alt-pop song that delivers a stirring message about the ghosts of the past and the burdensome effects of unhealed trauma. The single explores the concept of two co-existing worlds, Reality and Amnesia World, that connect the past and present through a karmic bond where former relationships, repressed feelings and damaging patterns all intertwine in a fateful experience. She confides, “The message is that if you don’t make peace with your past it will always haunt your future reality.” Euphoric and moody, “Kiss Me Amnesia” features intimate vocals that glide effortlessly over cinematic dipped electronic soundscapes for a beautifully raw and introspective musical journey.
“Love Mess” is a vibrant and colorful pop anthem about accepting your own faults and moving confidently in the game of love. With soul-drenched soaring vocals over bright kaleidoscopic soundscapes, “Love Mess” is a playful and teasing song about daring someone to entice us.
“Beautiful Disease” is a slow-burning passionate song all about love and obsession and “being in a situation where you are trapped…you want to get out but you can’t,” confides the singer. Seductive honey-dipped vocals flow over intoxicating melodies for a vulnerable song about yearning and escape.
“Out of The Maze” is a song all about living against the norms. With decadent electronic pop landscapes under colliding melodies full of heart, “Out of The Maze” is a dance pop banger sure to entice with every note.
“Chameleon” is a gorgeous ballad full of soulful melodies and delicate piano. The track is all about the relatable theme of being a people pleaser and being trapped in a situation to where one looses their identity.
A true artist, Roskamala is dynamic and mult-faceted. Her debut album is imaginative and creative, capturing the essence of love, loss and new beginnings. truth she told is out 2023 worldwide.
Before we wave adieu to 2022 – IST IST – pause for reflection with the philosophical new single: “Mary In The Black And White Room”.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE || STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE
A reminder of their keenly-anticipated third album ‘Protagonists’ (slated for Spring 2023 via Kind Violence Records), the track finds the band revealing one of its most cerebral, synth-driven moments.
With shades of classic OMD, The Cure and New Order, “Mary In The Black And White Room” effervesces in the darkness with its potent blend of layered synthesisers, darting basslines, and labyrinthine lyrical intrigue.
“Mary…” is inspired by a thought experiment proposed by the philosopher Frank Jackson that has since become known as ‘the knowledge argument’ (or ‘Mary’s room’). Hypothesising the work of a scientist called Mary, who exists in a black and white world where she has extensive access to physical descriptions of colour, but no actual human perceptual experience of colour; Jackson’s theory wonders whether Mary will gain new knowledge if she actually experiences seeing colour.
Speaking about the track, frontman Adam Houghton says:
“Mary in the Black and White Room is about trying to figure out if experience trumps knowledge. See ‘the Knowledge Argument’ where the subject, Mary, exists in a black and white world but has extensive descriptions of colour, but you don’t know if she knows what they actually look like until exposed to it. Really interesting stuff.”
American multi-instrumentalist HIBOU is back with new single “Night Fell”, along with the announcement of a new EP ‘Arc’ (due 13 January 2023).
Floating through a breezy blend of gossamer vocals, twinkling instrumentals and lush textured melodies, “Night Fell” is a delicate and jangling track that paves the way for Hibou’s new EP ‘Arc’.
Born in Seattle and now based in Paris, ‘Arc’ is Hibou’s first release since his 2019 full-length LP ‘Halve’ and the new body of work sees the artist emerge from his lengthy silence and reel listeners right back into the glistening whirlwind of his sound.
A delicate blend of lo-fi alt-pop, nostalgic shoegaze and diaphanous dream-pop, Peter Michel (aka Hibou) spent the summer writing the EP along the Canal de l’Ourcq, before recording in various apartments, bathrooms and rehearsal spaces in Paris. Engineered and produced by Michel himself, the multi-instrumentalist also performs vocals, guitar and bass on each track, with drums courtesy of Jase Ihler.
A dreamy and diverse project, ‘Arc’ melds together a rich amalgam of sounds: from the delicate and dazing “June” to the buzzing and buoyant “Already Forgotten” and from the eerie twanging guitars on “Devilry” to the stormy, seesawing soundscapes on “Upon The Clouds You Weep”.
London based electro pop producer and artist Ro Nova returns with her latest release ‘Route To Go’.
Futuristic dance production lays the perfect foundation for Ro’s ethereal vocals as her voice glides above the track. Combining elements of 80’s pop and 00’s UK Garage, Ro uses smooth synths and catchy drum loops to display her unique artistry on this self-produced and self-written cut.
Talking on the track Ro Nova tells us: “This track is about leading the way into the night and starting an adventure. It’s about that feeling of excitement you get when you come across someone that can keep up with your pace – someone that keeps you on edge. I produced the first version in a wintery London back when the world was locked down and
contrastingly, the music video moves through colourful casinos and hotels across America. I was on tour there for the first time this year and travelled from the East to the West coast by road. ‘Route to Go’ could finally come to life.”
Dublin maximalist rockers – THUMPER – have released a new video for their recent single “Summer Assault”, out now via Reckless Records.
WATCH HERE || STREAM ON ALL SERVICES HERE
Complementing THUMPER’s idiosyncratic style of noise-driven rock, the new video was directed by visual artist Julie Weber, and sees two concurrent yet wholly different lifestyles played out side by side. Weber explains:
“The music video for “Summer Assault” is an observation of human dualities, dichotomies and synchronicities. I was interested in the layered perspectives of seeing and being — is there such a thing as having a superior lifestyle? Does that mean being a social spider that attends parties, or is it being a health demon who eats beetroot for breakfast? One or the other? Neither or both?”
Weber is a director, artist and lecturer who examines concepts of being and becoming, creating moving image and performance works, textiles and sound compositions. Since 2017, she has collaborated with a range of artists including Æ MAK, Holly Hudson Taylor, Fears, ANDI and more.
Following his entrance into the scene this year with two critically-acclaimed releases “Flows” and “My Bag”, rising Brixton rapper and artist Rippa releases his debut EP Night Time Walk – an electric narration of inner-city pressure and ambition dropped alongside an official music video for lead track “City Lights”.
Real name Jhemar Jonas, the 20-year-old South London artist has quickly defined himself as a key new name, with coverage across major tastemakers incl. COMPLEX UK, TRENCH, VIPER MAGAZINE and GRM DAILY.
As the figurehead of Ciaran Thapar’s true-life book on London youth violence Cut Short, UK producer Toddla T got in touch after reading it and has been working with
Jhemar for two years, producing the entirety of this project. Laced with powerful messages across the realities of postcode crime, discrimination and the crucial breaking of cycles of violence, Night Time Walk offers a glimpse into a significant UK rap success story.
Garage-rock trio BERRIES will release the new single “Spiral”.
Taken from their debut album ‘How We Function’ (out now via Xtra Mile Recordings), the new release comes ahead of a UK headline run in March 2023, plus a run of Winter shows with Skinny Lister this December.
Steeped in BERRIES’ trademark craggy, contagious rhythms and earworm choral hooks, it’s another fine example of the band’s melodic noise-driven rock in full flight. A track about concealing our innermost struggles and the escalating repercussions it can cause, vocalist Holly explains:
“”Spiral” is about how easily we share insignificant details about ourselves but struggle to open up about serious matters through fear of seeming weak or vulnerable. And how what we do share with people is often for the satisfaction and approval of others and not for ourselves.”
HUNTER DAILY
“Skeleton Key“
• “‘Skeleton Key’ is about a relationship that inevitably has to come to an end because you are no longer a match, like a broken lock and skeleton key. No matter how much you love that person and want to make it work, sometimes the damage is irreparable and the only thing left to do is to walk away.” – Hunter Daily
• “Skeleton Key” is the third single released by Hunter Daily. The accompanying lyric video is out now alongside the track.
• “Originally, my sister and I wrote this song about her relationship ending, but later on, the meaning of the song changed for me… it became more about the falling out my sister and I had after we decided to no longer be in a band together, and at the time, it felt like the death of a part of me.” – Hunter Daily
Jonah Kagen releases his much-anticipated debut EP, ‘georgia got colder,’ out on Arista Records. In conjunction with the EP release, Jonah is also sharing the official music video for “georgia,” one of the project’s new singles.
‘georgia got colder’ includes past releases like “barcelona,” “hill that I’ll die on” and “graveyard shift,” as well as his hit debut single, “broken,” which has amassed over 42 million streams to date. The EP also introduces 3 brand new tracks, “georgia,” “colorado” and “chemicals.” Pairing his signature acoustic-driven sound with lyrics that tug at the heartstrings, Jonah’s delivers undeniable energy and sincerity throughout the EP’s 7 tracks.
“Each song on this EP has a unique story from a different period of my life,” says Jonah. “I’ve experienced so many distinct emotions over the last couple years—missing someone, being missed, being there for someone, needing someone to be there for me. I think they’re all equally valuable, and I wanted them to live together in a space that can hopefully bring some sort of comfort to anyone listening that might hear even just one line that resonates.”
Following on from a string of head-turning releases this year, more recently with ‘In The World or Of The World?’ alongside Janel Antoneshia and Forest DLG, the Midlands born artist TrueMendous has gifted supporters with her highly anticipated album, ‘Great. On Purpose’ via High Focus Records.
STREAM/DOWNLOAD: TRUEMENDOUS – GREAT. ON PURPOSE
Spread across 16 tracks that boast TrueMendous’ flexibility through a variety of genre-bending and cutting songs, the London-based wordsmith is still able to sustain a nostalgic essence through a modern-day lens. Reputable for putting quality over quantity, ‘Great. On Purpose’ touches on a selection of topics surrounding societal issues, personal growth, family, the hardships of life, and more. Leaving no corner unturned, she challenges mainstream clutter and shares a body of work that’s not only a true representation of her artistry, but as something that will remain timeless for years to come.
New York-based singer and songwriter Mae Krell is closing out the year with the release of the ‘imposter syndrome (b-sides),’ out on all streaming platforms today.
The two b-sides, “tooth fairy” and “(like) spring,” were written during the ‘imposter syndrome’ sessions. After the EP release, Mae revisited the unreleased demos with her producer Jakob Leventhal and decided to rework these two tracks. “A lot of times my favorite tracks from an artist are the ones that almost didn’t make it out, so I thought it would be only fair to give people a chance to love these songs the way I love some almost-forgotten-about ones,” she says.
A lot has happened to SUSS since their last vinyl release, 2020’s Promise on Northern Spy Records. That album ended up on many best-of lists that year, and was cited by PopMatters as an “incredible country/ambient hybrid that is nothing short of peerless.” As the album’s title indicated, the music spoke to a future of promise, with the band looking toward new musical horizons.
However, that promise was cut short with the loss of founding member Gary Leib, who passed away in 2021 soon after the completion of the Night Suite EP, a dark, late-night trip through the heart of loss set against the backdrop of Americana soundscapes. After the difficult decision to move ahead as a trio, SUSS began planning a series of connected EPs that would culminate in a double-album release representing the natural evolution of the band as it struck out in a new direction.
The next EP release, Heat Haze, was a feverish search for fractured dreams in a hot, shimmering landscape, followed by Winter Was Hard, which finds SUSS moving away from the arid atmospherics of the American Southwest and entering chillier dimensions exploring the challenge of surviving uncertain times.
To complete their four-part odyssey, SUSS is now releasing these three EPs, together with the last leg of the trip, Across the Horizon, as a double vinyl set simply titled SUSS. Taken as a whole, this work represents how wide the scope of ambient country music can be while also showing the journey of personal change that the band has undertaken over the last couple of years — the loss, the searching, the challenge, and, finally, the new hope on the horizon.
Named for an imaginary game her, her cousins and siblings would play as kids, Canadian singer-songwriter Blair Lee today releases her debut EP The Puppy Game. Filled with sentimentality and trying to hold onto fleeting moments with the passage of time, this five-song offering is Lee’s method of stepping out of herself to observe the fact that she is growing up. Heralded for her touching lyricism and vulnerability, Lee lays claim to her place within the world of indie with her debut EP – Stream.
About releasing her first project, Blair Lee said, “One thing I hold onto is my inner child, and my right to create freely. It’s important to me, and I think it comes out most when I am making music. That’s why I called the EP ‘The Puppy Game’ – it’s a game we played as kids (me and my cousins and siblings), but when I think about it now, I’m still pretending to be a puppy in some ways. This is also probably why I chose to use a childhood photo as the cover art. It’s like an ode to my younger self.”
Toronto based singer/songwriter and producer Jenny Palacios, blends emo, alternative and pop influences to nestle into a pocket of music running on melancholia and nostalgic emotion. Still honing her sound, she remains inspired by layering brooding, airy pads with textures and lyrical storytelling.
Growing up, Jenny began to explore her desire to create music, watching music specials on TV — shows like Born To Be!, and Disband. Learning how possible it could be to start a band for herself, she took to local Craigslist postings where Jenny completed the puzzle for pop-rock/pop-punk outfit, Arbors Lane.
From 2015 to 2018 Jenny wrote a 5 track EP, called “Prologue.” with Arbors Lane, followed by singles “Shiver” and “Run To You” after. Taking those songs live as a front-woman and gaining local notoriety from jumping on lineups with Hawthorne Heights, Dayshell, I The Mighty, Pvris and playing the last year of the Vans Warped Tour, Jenny took what she learned from her time in the band and began to experiment with a further personal sound as a solo artist.
16-year-old viral sensation Havanna Winter is lighting up this holiday season with her festive new single, “Daddy’s Kissing Santa Claus,” available now via Stevie Van Zandt’s new Wonderwall Records at all DSPs and streaming services. Produced by Nevin Sastry (JoJo, Jamie Miller, Shaboozey) and co-written by Winter, Sastry, Carlos Guevara (The X Factor), and Executive Producer Maya K (Bebe Rexha, Anita, J Balvin), the track is accompanied by an outrageous 80s-inspired Christmas video – co-starring Havanna alongside an all-star cast that includes Guevara, Marsha Molinari, Vince Rossi, Jordan Xidas, Jonnie Reinhart, Justin Love, Terrell Jones, Niels van den Heuvel, and Jonah Almanzar – premiering today at YouTube.
“‘Daddy’s Kissing Santa Claus’ is such a fun song,” says Havanna Winter. “It’s chaotic and catchy, and it gets stuck in your head. I feel like it’s very relatable because most of us have experienced some Christmas gatherings that didn’t go as planned. I think that with all the serious things that have been going on in the world lately, people need a break from it, especially over the holidays, and to just be able to relax and have a laugh with some funny and happy vibes.”
“Wonderwall Records is our new imprint that focuses more on the Pop side of things,” says Executive Producer/Wonderwall Records CEO Stevie Van Zandt, “and we’re looking forward to Havanna being the first release.”
Canadian artist, noelle, is a 20-year-old emerging pop talent with a modern R&B edge.
noelle has been singing since she was barely old enough to walk. Initially finding her footing through YouTube, noelle amassed a following of 94.2K subscribers resulting from her viral covers of timeless classics and today’s biggest acts, most notably Post Malone and Sabrina Claudio.
noelle was raised on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Ontario, in a family and community that surrounded her with music. Her upbringing exposed her to a vast range of musical genres, from Nat King Cole and Sarah Vaughan, to the pow wow drum and native wind flute from her Indigenous roots. Just like many others, noelle’s high school years were full of highs and lows, and music quickly became her outlet. Expressing her thoughts and emotions at her piano, coupled with a reality she sought to transcend, noelle began writing her own music as a therapeutic form of self-expression. The artists’ whose words she once personalized through her covers, soon became the major influences behind her own music. After graduating high school in 2017, noelle signed her record deal with Wax Records, and has spent two years developing her sound to create a modern blend of R&B, pop, urban, and jazz influences.
noelle’s pop ballad repertoire harnesses the powerful contrast of the darkness she sees in the modern world. Coupling thought-provoking lyrics with melodies that will both emotionally and physically move her audience, her words remind you how it feels to experience the world and love as a young woman today.
Who are we? Where do we come from? Avant-garde rock group CarbonWorks ponders these theoretical unknowns in their soon to be released single “Athena” out today Friday, November 18, 2022. Led by composer and guitarist Neal Barnard, the experimental group questions the complexities of the world and human purpose with an international flair provided by singer-songwriter Lara Lotz (Ben & Lola). Sung predominately in French with a touch of Latin to close out the track, “Athena” is the second single to be released from the group’s second studio album, Vanishing Act out February 3, 2023.
Written and composed by Barnard, the harmonious track is a reflection of the songwriter’s philosophical worldviews. Providing insight, the musician shares “I woke up one day at 4am, and a bluesy saxophone sound came out of nowhere. If I went back to sleep, it would be gone. So I got up and wrote it down.” Barnard continues “the lyrics speak of life as the whim of an impulsive deity who launches mortals on their trajectories of joy and tears. The image is Athena, the goddess of war, mathematics, and other dangerous things.” The musician finishes with “the final lyrics take a tongue-in-cheek turn on the Beatitudes. Blessed are the meek. Will they inherit the Earth? Dream on, buster. Blessed are the merciful. Will they be repaid in kind? Not likely. But to have been merciful is enough. In fact, to be kind and compassionate is the most important thing we can do.”
Email: neill@outloudculture.com
